Diplomat's son walks free

An ambassador's son has escaped prosecution for dealing crack cocaine after claiming diplomatic immunity, it emerged today.

Harris Sutresna, 20, the son of the Indonesian ambassador in London, was arrested in possession of class A drugs during a series of raids in Hackney.

He was taken to Stoke Newington police station and questioned by detectives who considered the amount he was in possession of was enough to charge him with supplying the drug.

However, all charges had to be dropped after he told them his father was the ambassador, His Excellency Nana Sutresna, 68. In his home country Sutresna could have faced the death penalty if he was caught with drugs. Diplomatic sources today said the case was closed and there was no chance of Sutresna being prosecuted for a crime which could have resulted in six years' imprisonment in Britain.

Sutresna was arrested during the Met's Operation Safer Streets - a major crackdown on drugs and street robbery in London's worst nine boroughs.

One detective said today: "You'd think anyone like that would make sure they were whiter than white when they came to Britain and not get involved in activities like this.

"Crack is a deadly drug and the officers who arrested him couldn't believe it when they realised they had to let him go. At first it was thought he was joking about his immunity but it soon became clear he wasn't." Sutresna was arrested at 4pm on 28 March at a flat in Langford Close, Hackney, by drugs squad officers.

Under the 1963 Geneva Convention envoys and their families are immune from prosecution. Although Britain can make a request for immunity to be lifted in serious cases this was not requested by the police or Foreign and Commonwealth Office.

The family were recalled home by the Indonesian government and left shortly after the arrest. The ambassador was already due to return home and the Queen's representative, Sir Anthony

Figgis, Marshal of the Diplomatic Corps, had already "bid farewell" to him.

Scotland Yard confirmed a 20-year-old man had been arrested in possession and had claimed immunity from prosecution.

A Foreign Office spokesman said: "The son of an accredited diplomat was arrested. He was later released following confirmation of his entitlement to diplomatic status.

"We do take a very serious view of alleged o f fences of those entitled to diplomatic status and where appropriate, take further action."